A linked list structure in a computing system includes a first entry and additional entries. Each additional entry includes a link reference to a prior entry in the linked list. The link reference for each additional entry all are stored within a content addressable memory. Each additional entry is accessible by performing a content search using the link reference to the prior entry. The linked list is traversed by accessing the first entry in the linked list. A second entry in the linked list is accessed by searching the content addressable memory with an index of the first entry. A third entry in the linked list is accessed by searching the content addressable memory with an index of the second entry.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. In a computing system, a method for traversing a linked list comprising the following steps: (a) accessing a first entry in the linked list; and, (b) accessing a second entry in the linked list, including the following substep; (b.1) searching a content addressable memory, which contains at least a portion of the second entry, for a reference to the first entry in the linked list, the reference functioning as a pointer from the second entry to the first entry, wherein existence of the pointer within a valid entry is sufficient identification of the valid entry as being uniquely the second entry.
2. A method as in claim 1 wherein in substep (b.1) includes searching on an indication of whether searched entries are valid.
3. A method as in claim 1 wherein in substep (b.1) the reference to the first entry is an index of the first entry in the content addressable memory.
4. A linked list structure in a computing system comprising: a first entry in the linked list; and, additional entries in the linked list, each additional entry including a link reference to a prior entry in the linked list, the reference for each additional entry all being stored within a content addressable memory which allows a next additional entry to be accessed by performing a content search using the link reference to the prior entry within the next entry; wherein a next entry can be uniquely located from an immediately prior entry by performing a content search of the content addressable memory search for a link reference to the immediately prior entry, the content search uniquely locating the next entry because at mast there is only one valid entry that includes a link reference to the immediately prior entry.
5. A linked structure as in claim 4 wherein the content addressable memory also stores for each additional entry a validity bit which indicates whether an associated additional entry is valid.
6. A linked structure as in claim 5 wherein the additional information includes an operation to be performed on a memory line.
7. A linked structure as in claim 4 wherein additional information for each additional entry is stored in a random access memory.
8. A method as in claim 1 , additionally comprising the following step: (c) accessing a third entry in the linked list, including the following substep: (c.1) searching the content addressable memory, which contains at least a portion of the third entry, for a reference to the second entry in the linked list, the reference to the second entry functioning as a pointer from the third entry to the second entry.
9. In the computing system, a method for traversing a linked list, comprising the following steps: (a) accessing a first entry in the linked list; and, (b) searching a content addressable memory for a reference to the first entry in the linked list, the reference being within a first field of a second entry in the linked list, and the reference functioning as a pointer from the second entry to the first entry, wherein existence of the pointer within a valid entry is sufficient identification of the valid entry as being uniquely the second entry; and, (c) accessing a second field of the second entry, the second field of the second entry being stored in a random access memory.
10. A method as in claim 9 wherein step (b) includes searching on an indication of whether searched entries are valid.
11. A method as in claim 9 wherein in step (b) the reference to the first entry is an index of the first entry stored within the content addressable memory.
12. A method as in claim 9 additionally comprising the following steps: (d) searching the content addressable memory for a reference to the second entry in the linked list, the reference being within a first field of a third entry in the linked list, and the reference functioning as a pointer from the third entry to the second entry; and, (e) accessing a second field of the third entry, the second field of the third entry being stored in the random access memory.
13. A linked list structure in a computing system comprising: a first entry in the linked list; and, additional entries in the linked list, each additional entry including a field which stores a link reference to a prior entry in the linked list, the link reference for each additional entry all being stored within a content addressable memory, wherein an additional field for each additional entry is stored in a random access memory; wherein a next entry can be uniquely located from an immediately prior entry by performing a content search of the content addressable memory search for a link reference to the immediately prior entry, the content search uniquely locating the entry because at most there is only one valid entry that includes a link reference to the immediately prior entry, and wherein once the next entry has been located, the additional field for the next entry can be accessed from the random access memory.
14. A linked structure as in claim 13 wherein the content addressable memory also stores for each additional entry a validity bit which indicates whether an associated additional entry is valid.
15. A linked structure as in claim 13 wherein a plurality of fields for each additional entry are stored in a random access memory.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
June 18, 1999
November 16, 2004
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